Thursday, August 7, 2025
Science
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US
No Result
View All Result
Scienmag
No Result
View All Result
Home Science News Cancer

New cancer research made possible as Surrey scientists study lipids cell by cell 

April 23, 2024
in Cancer
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
New cancer research made possible as Surrey scientists study lipids cell by cell 
67
SHARES
606
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Imagine being able to look inside a single cancer cell and see how it communicates with its neighbours. 

Scientists are celebrating a new technique that lets them study the fatty contents of cancer cells, one by one.  

A study led by the University of Surrey has sampled single live cancer cells and measured the fatty lipid compounds inside them. Working with partners at GSK and UCL, and developing new equipment with Yokogawa, the team saw how those cells transformed in response to changes in their environment.  

Dr Johanna Von Gerichten, from Surrey’s School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, said:  

“The trouble with cancer cells is that no two are alike. That makes it harder to design good treatment, because some cells will always resist treatment more than others. 

“Yet it has always proven tricky to study live cells after they have been removed from their natural environment, in enough detail to truly understand their make-up.  

“That is why it is so exciting to be able to sample live cells under a microscope and study their fatty contents one by one.” 

Individual pancreatic cancer cells were lifted from a glass culture dish using Yokogawa’s Single Cellome System SS2000 ™. This extracts single live cells using tiny tubes 10 µm across – about half the diameter of the thinnest human hair.  

By staining the cells with fluorescent dye, the researchers could monitor lipid droplets (stores of fatty molecules inside cells, thought to play an important role in cancer) throughout the experiment.   

Then, working with partners at Sciex, researchers developed a new method using a mass spectrometer to fragment the lipids in the cells.This told them about their composition.  

The researchers demonstrated that different cells had very different lipid profiles. They also saw how lipids in the cells changed in response to what was going on around them. 

Professor Melanie Bailey said:

“We are really excited to work with scientists from all over the UK to apply this to other types of cells, to better understand infection, immunity and other phenomena as part of our new national facility for single and sub-cellular “omics”, SEISMIC, funded by BBSRC and EPSRC. 

“We are also part of an International Atomic Energy Agency programme which is exploring the effects of irradiation on cells. We will be working with researchers from all over the world to understand why some cancer cells resist radiation treatment.” 

Dr Carla Newman, Associate Director, Cellular Imaging and Dynamics at GSK said:  

“Our new method paves the way for studying cancer cells in detail we’ve never seen before. 

“One day, we might be able to see how individual cancer cells communicate with their neighbours. That could unlock new, more targeted treatments. 

“It’s great to see universities and industry come together to produce such ground-breaking research.” 

The study is published in the journal Analytical Chemistry.  

ENDS



Journal

Analytical Chemistry

DOI

10.1021/acs.analchem.3c05677

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Cells

Article Title

Untargeted single-cell lipidomics using liquid chromatography and data-dependent acquisition after live cell selection.

Article Publication Date

24-Apr-2024

COI Statement

The authors declare no competing financial interest.

Share27Tweet17
Previous Post

Critical minerals recovery from electronic waste

Next Post

Bioluminescence first evolved in animals at least 540 million years ago

Related Posts

blank
Cancer

Reducing MRI Sedation in Children: A Quality Improvement

August 7, 2025
blank
Cancer

Licorice Extract Enhances Safety and Shelf Life of Ready-to-Eat Chicken

August 7, 2025
blank
Cancer

HPV16 E5 Transcripts Key in Oropharyngeal Cancer

August 7, 2025
blank
Cancer

Lung Cancer Breakthroughs: Molecular Insights and Innovations

August 7, 2025
blank
Cancer

CT Findings of Pediatric Extralobar Pulmonary Sequestration

August 7, 2025
blank
Cancer

Adjuvant Chemotherapy Boosts Survival in Early-Onset Pancreatic Cancer Following Neoadjuvant Treatment

August 7, 2025
Next Post
The bamboo octocoral Isidella sp. displaying bioluminescence in the Bahamas in 2009

Bioluminescence first evolved in animals at least 540 million years ago

  • Mothers who receive childcare support from maternal grandparents show more parental warmth, finds NTU Singapore study

    Mothers who receive childcare support from maternal grandparents show more parental warmth, finds NTU Singapore study

    27530 shares
    Share 11009 Tweet 6881
  • University of Seville Breaks 120-Year-Old Mystery, Revises a Key Einstein Concept

    942 shares
    Share 377 Tweet 236
  • Bee body mass, pathogens and local climate influence heat tolerance

    641 shares
    Share 256 Tweet 160
  • Researchers record first-ever images and data of a shark experiencing a boat strike

    506 shares
    Share 202 Tweet 127
  • Warm seawater speeding up melting of ‘Doomsday Glacier,’ scientists warn

    310 shares
    Share 124 Tweet 78
Science

Embark on a thrilling journey of discovery with Scienmag.com—your ultimate source for cutting-edge breakthroughs. Immerse yourself in a world where curiosity knows no limits and tomorrow’s possibilities become today’s reality!

RECENT NEWS

  • Enzyme-Responsive Packaging Revolutionizes Food Preservation
  • Youth and OTC CBD Use: Spain’s Current Landscape
  • Ilimaquinone: A Novel Antibacterial Agent from Marine Sponges
  • Revolutionary Hybrid Neural Network Enhances Battery State Estimation

Categories

  • Agriculture
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Athmospheric
  • Biology
  • Bussines
  • Cancer
  • Chemistry
  • Climate
  • Earth Science
  • Marine
  • Mathematics
  • Medicine
  • Pediatry
  • Policy
  • Psychology & Psychiatry
  • Science Education
  • Social Science
  • Space
  • Technology and Engineering

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 4,859 other subscribers

© 2025 Scienmag - Science Magazine

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US

© 2025 Scienmag - Science Magazine

Discover more from Science

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading